Railway-switch-operating mechanism.



v No. 728,621. PATENTED MAY' 19, 1903.

- J.B.RUBY.

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM. 4 APPLICATION FILED JUN}; 28,1902. N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETSSHEET 1.-

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PATENTE'D MAY 19, 1903..

J. E. RUBY.

RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

- APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1902.

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No. 728,621. PATENTED MAY I9, 1903. I. E. RUBY.

I RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 28, 1902. NO MODEL. 4 SHEETS -SHEET 3.

WITNESSES IN VENTOP 54}; A TTOHNE-Y mfotvzamzlf PATENTED MAY 19; 1903.

JHE. RUBY.

' RAILWAY SWITCH OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION rum) JUNE 28, 1 902.

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THi uonms PETER; co. mow-Luna. WASHINGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES Patented May 19, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

' JOHN E. RUBY, on INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

EEEGIFIOATION formingpart of Letters Patent N 0. 728,621, dated May 19, 1903.

Application filed June 28, 1902. Serial No. 113,633. (No model.)

T to whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN E. RUBY, of Indianapolis, countyof Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Railway -Switch Operating Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to provide an effective and easily-actuated mechanism for throwing switches in railways, tramways, and street-car tracks. The immediate means for throwing and controlling the switch-rail is located out of the way in the track between the rails. The means for actuating said mechanism is mounted on a car within reach and control of a motorman or engineer.

The full nature of this invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan viewof a portion of a railway with aroad-bed (not shown) and the parts in place, the lids of the box being removed and the parts broken away. Fig. 2 is avertical section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are detailplan views of the connection between the switchthrowing lever in the railway and the chain for operating it. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lid for the larger box in the railway. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the means secured to the car for actuating the switch mechanism, a part of the car-truck being shown in plan and broken away. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of what is shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a plan View of a part of the device in a modified form. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of the same.

' Referring now to the drawings and con struction shown therein, 10 represents the running-rails of the railway, and 11 represents cross-ties.

12 represents the rails of a side track or branch line, and 13 is a switch-tongue.

The details of construction of the railway are immaterial to my invention and are not new.

Between the rails and upon the ties I place a box 15 in close proximity to the switchtongue 13, and in said box I mount a crankshaft 16 in the bearing 17, secured to the bot tom of the box. A connecting-rod 18 runs from the crank of the crank-shaft 16 to the switch-tongue 13 and is pivotally connected with the latter sufliciently far from its pivotal point to permit its easy actuation. The connecting-rod 18 is formed of two parts, one screwing into the other to render it adjustable in length. The crank-shaft 16 is also of such dimensions that the limit of movement of the switch-tongue will permit the crank to pass on either side below the horizontal position and rest upon the plate below, forming a part of the bearing 17. This looks the switch-tongue so that it cannot be moved except by the switch-throwing mechanism. This locked position is shown in Fig. 8.

The crank-shaft 16 has the bevel-pinion 20 on one end that is actuated by a companion bevel pinion. 21, placed horizontally and mounted in the bearing 22, that is secured to the bottom of the box 15. Adjacent to and, as shown, integral with the bevel-pinion 21 there is a pulley 23, about which a chain or cable 24 passes, said cable, however, being secured to the pulley, so that it will oscillate the pulley, and thereby the crankshaft 16 The chain or cable 24 runs through the pipe 26 to the larger box 27, likewise secured on the ties between the rails. In the box 27 I mount a large pulley or wheel 28 on the bearing 29, secured to the bottom of thebox, so the wheel will be in a horizontal position, and the chain or cable 24 passes about said wheel and is actuated by it. The chain or cable extends between a pair of small friction-wheels 30, mounted in the bearings 31, secured to the side of'the box 27 at the end of the pipe 26. The bar 32 holds said pulleys in the proper horizontal position. The large pulley or wheel 28 is actuated by the lever 35, which at one end is pivoted to the spindle of the wheel 28 and at the other end is attached to the chain or cable 26, that extends about the four pulleys 37. Two of said pulleys are mounted in the bearings 38, secured to the side of the box, and two in the bearing-frame 39, which extends across the box from one side to the other. A hook 40 is fastened to the lever by the slotted plate 41 and set-screws 42. The long cable 24 is fastened to this hook and the lever 35 is fastened to the wheel 28 at 43,

so that all movement of the lever 35 will be positively transmitted through the cable 24. The manner ofconnecting the lever 35 to the cable 36 is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the cable or chain having at each end a threaded tap 44, that screws upon a right-and-lef-t screw 45. The screw has ahole 46 to receive the pin 47, that passes through the lever 35, and a screw 45 for screwing these parts together. The purpose of the right-and-left screw 45 is to adjust the length of the chain 36 in order to keep it taut. The frame 39 is formed of a pair of bars, one above and one below, and two of the wheels 37 are mounted between said bars, and the lever 35 oscillates horizontally between them.

The chain or cable 36 is actuated by the two levers 50, (shown in Fig. 2,) that are pivoted to the shaft 51 in the bearing 52, secured to the bottom of the depression in the bottom of the box 27. One of said levers is at one side and the other lever is at the other side of the box 27. The chain or cable 36 is fastened to said levers by the plates 53, and said levers extend up through slots 54 in the lid of the box 27. Said levers 50 have widened stop-blocks 56 near their upper ends, that rest upon the stops 57 at the limit of movement of said levers 50. These stop-blocks also protect the levers 50 when wagon-wheels run over them, inasmuch as the stop-blocks rest upon the stops 57. The slots 54 are of such length that the ends of the levers 50 will pass below the surface or level of the lid to escape the means that actuate the levers 50. Only one of the levers 50 is actuated at a time, and when it is thrown forward the other lever is turned rearward in a position for actuation. For that reason the chain or cable 36 passes along both sides of the box. Therefore the forward movement of the lefthand lever opens the switch, while the forward movement of the right-hand lever closes the switch. Y

The means on the car for controlling the switch-throwing mechanism is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. 60 is the front end of the truck under the car,- and to the front portion of that I secure a number of bearings 61, that carry two horizontal shafts 62 and 63. On said shafts I secure parallel bars 64, carrying at their outer ends a shoe or switch-throwing plate 65 and roller 66 to hold the shoe off the ground or track. There is one of these on each of the shafts 62 and 63 in position to engage the'upper ends of the levers 50. The switch-throwing shoes are moved into and out of. position by the cranks 67, secured to the shafts 62 and 63, the connecting-rods 68 running from said'cranks toan oscillating lever 69, centrally and horizontally mounted at the lower end of a' vertical twist-shaft 70, with a handle or crank 71 at its upper end for actuation by the hand of the motorman and with a foot-crank 72, whereby the motorman may actuate the mechanism with his foot, if he desires. It is thus seen that when the twistshaft is turned in one direction one shoe will be down and the other up or when in a medium position both shoes will be up.

While I show the two boxes 15 and 27 removed considerably, so as to give ample opportunity for the switch to be turned before the car reaches it, I do not wish to be limited to the exact position of these parts, as they may be brought closer together or the cable 24 and pipe 26 eliminated. Such modified form is shown in Figs. 9 and 10. There the Wheel 28 is provided with gear-teeth on its under edge that mesh with a pinion 60 on the crank-shaft 16 in place of the bevel-pinion 20. The crank-shaft 16 is lengthened. The cable being omitted, the lever 35 can be secured as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a railway-switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-tongue, of a crank-shaft mounted longitudinally of the track between the rails, a connecting-rod from the crank of the crank-shaft that is pivoted to the switch-tongue, the crank of the shaft being of such dimensions that at each throw of the switch-tongue it will pass below the horizontal position, means for engaging the crank of the shaft to stop it in its downward movement, and means independent of the crank of the shaft for oscillating said crankshaft.

2. In a railway-switch-actuating mechanism, a switch-tongue, a connecting-rod pivoted thereto, a crank-shaft for actuating said connecting rod and throwing the switchtongue, :1. plate, and bearings for said crankshaft of such height above said plate that the crank-shaft cannot completely rotate but the crank thereof will come into engagement with said plate after passing below a horizontal position on either side.

3. In a railway-switch-actuating mechanism, the combination with a switch-tongue, of a crank-shaft mounted longitudinally of the track between the rails, a connecting-rod from the crank of the crank-shaft that is pivoted to the switch-tongue, a pinion on said shaft, a gear-wheel meshing therewith horizontally mounted in the track, and means for oscillating said wheel.

4. In a railwayrswitch-actuating mechanism, a switch-tongue, a rod pivoted thereto for throwing it, a crank-shaft for actuating such rod, a wheel mounted horizontally in the railway, a lever for oscillating said wheel, a horizontally-movable cable to which the free end of the lever is secured, four pulleys on which said cable is mounted, levers pivoted below said cable and connected with the cable, one at each side thereof intermediate the ends of said levers for oscillating the cable and wheel, and a connection between said wheel and the crank-shaft for actuating it.

5. In a railway-switch-actuating mechanism, a switch-tongue, a rod pivoted thereto for throwing it, a crank-shaft for actuating waei said rod, a box mounted in the railway, a wheel mounted horizontally in the box, a connection between the wheel and the crankshaft for actuating the latter, a horizontal lever for oscillating said wheel, a cable to which the free end of said lever is secured, four pulleys mounted in the box for holding the cable in a horizontal position, a pair of levers pivoted in the depression in the box, one secured to each side of said cable between the ends of said levers, a lid for said box-having slots in it for the movement of said levers, said slots being so formed and mounted that the upper ends of the levers will move below the surface of the lid in the forward position, and a stop to limit the rear movement of said levers.

6. In a railway-switch-actuating mechan- JOHN E. RUBY.

Witnesses:

V. H. LooKWooD, NELLIE ALLEMONG. 

